Blue Plague: War (Blue Plague Book 6) (24 page)

Bruce laughed. “Shit, I’m glad they didn’t find out about the other shit we did.”

When their gear was checked, they left, checking on the rest of the team. As they were looking at everyone’s weapons, Willie walked over. “Hey, Jake just announced cloud cover at nine thousand feet with snow.”

Gene looked over at Bruce. “How good are those pilots?”

“Shit, so far, they’ve been top notch,” Bruce replied.

“Bruce, they are going to have to do a pinpoint jump with no land marks. I really don’t want to jump and find out we’re miles off target. That wasn’t a problem before, but the locals want to eat our ass now,” Gene complained.

“Hey, this is your plan. Don’t bitch at me because Mother Nature threw clouds over the area,” Bruce shot back. “There will be four pathfinders already on the ground before we jump. I’m sure the aviators will be able to go off them.”

“What if the pathfinders are off target?” Gene asked.

Growling, Bruce threw the weapon he was looking at back to the man it belonged to, hitting him hard in the chest. “You want to bitch at me for shit that hasn’t even happened?” Bruce snapped. “Hell, I wanted to drive up there and just start killing now, but no, you want to do this air assault.”

“I’m just worried about leaving our dicks out in the wind,” Gene popped off.

Grabbing his crotch, Bruce said, “My dick is staying right here thank you.”

Gene shook his head. “Let’s just move the drop back till we have clear skies.”

“Bullshit,” Bruce said, spinning around, walking toward the house. “I’m getting this shit over with and taking some time off before spring. You are going to build the units while I baby Angela and Stephanie so they don’t drive me insane.”

Seeing Bruce leaving, Gene took off running with Ted, Carl, and Willie following Bruce. Grabbing the handle on the back door, Bruce pulled, but the door wouldn’t open. “Open the fucking door!” he shouted. Ted ran up beside Bruce, swiping a card on a reader beside the door.

The door popped open with a click. “I have to have a fucking card to get in my own fucking house!” Bruce bellowed, snatching the door open.

Downstairs in the control room, Mike looked up, hearing Bruce’s bellow. “Someone pissed Bruce off,” he announced.

“Whoever it is, baby, put them in the wood chipper,” Nancy said, not even looking up from the computer.

Hearing footsteps stomping down the stairs, Angela and Stephanie got up and walked over to the door, waiting on Bruce to come in. When he walked in the room, they stepped in front of him, smiling. “Who made you mad?” Stephanie asked.

“We’re going to help Mike put them in the wood chipper,” Angela grinned.

Looking at the two smiling, Bruce’s anger left. “Ah, I just heard clouds rolled in over the facility.”

Angela looked at Stephanie. “We aren’t fighting nature,” she said, and Stephanie nodded in agreement.

Stephanie looked at Bruce. “Yes, cloud cover rolled over about an hour ago. If it keeps moving at its current speed, it should clear the area by 0300.”

Leaning down, Bruce kissed both and walked over to the wall of monitors. Stopping at one that showed a satellite image of the northeast, he studied the monitor. “We have a UAV over the area?” he asked.

“Screen nine,” Angela said, walking up beside him, pointing down the row of monitors.

Bruce walked down then stopped. “There wasn’t that much snow yesterday,” he noted, looking at the monitor.

“Yes, the cloud cover is the last part of a system that rolled in yesterday,” Stephanie said, walking over. “There’s about twenty inches of new snow on the ground.”

“Just how much snow are we talking about?” Bruce asked, feeling tired.

“Around three feet,” someone behind him announced.

Bruce covered his face with both hands. “Was anyone planning on telling me this?”

“Baby, we told you it was snowing there yesterday,” Angela informed him in a gentle voice.

Dropping his hands, he said, “I don’t recall hearing ‘feet of snow.’”

“When you laid out your plan to drive up, I know I told you there were places along the route that were under yards of snow,” Stephanie said, stepping over and wrapping her arm around his waist.

Fighting the urge to just go to bed, Bruce studied the monitor. “Thermal please,” he called out, and the image turned to black and white heat. “Where the hell are the blues?”

“We haven’t seen any within twenty miles of the facility in days. The buildings aboveground are cleared out by the troops there,” Stephanie reported.

Liking the sound of that, he asked, “Are the blues moving any better in the deep snow?”

Mike stepped over. “No. It now seems that snow over a foot is sending them into hibernation.”

“Someone ask Mack or Steve how certain they are about getting us to the drop site without any visual markers?” Bruce called out.

“What?” Angela asked, grabbing his arm.

“I know pilots use instruments, but I’ve been dropped off course before, and it sucked,” Bruce explained. “Then, the locals just wanted to shoot at me. Now, they want to eat me.”

Mike laughed. “Mack’s already said he guaranteed they could drop you at the site. All you had to do was glide to it.”

“Damn sure going to suck treading through that much snow,” Bruce moaned and turned to Gene. “We go; launch the pathfinders at dusk. Main body follows half an hour later.”

Angela shook Bruce’s arm until he looked down. “Baby, the ground refueling point hasn’t had a blue near them in twelve hours. The blues seem to really hate snow. If you’re worried, we can move the assault back.”

“We aren’t moving through the snow,” Bruce smiled at her. “No, the emergency refueling point is already out there, and I’m not going to ask those troops to stay longer than necessary.”

That Bruce was thinking of those troops already out, Angela smiled and looked at the clock on the wall, seeing it was almost 1700, “Well, let’s get you and your troops fed,” she said.

They both guided Bruce out with the rest following. Ted leaned over to Carl as they walked up the stairs. “Those two have put a beatdown on that man,” he whispered. “Debbie would be proud.”

“Yep,” Carl replied. “Don’t forget it because they won’t beat someone else down like they did Bruce. They will use weapons.” Raising his eyebrows Ted nodded at the advice.

When they were outside, Gene called over the radio for the team to gather in the Center for supper. Willie shook his head. “I would rather not eat,” he said. “I prefer to just dry heave and not give my stomach ammunition.”

The Center slowly filled as others filed in to wish the team luck, and more than one member of Omega was disappointed they weren’t going. The loudspeaker on the wall suddenly squawked, “Pathfinders, report to airfield. Wheels up in thirty.”

Bruce stood up as Mike walked over and hugged him. “I’m heading to mission control. You stay safe, and hurry back.”

“Watch the family for me,” Brue said, letting Mike go. The family followed Bruce to the shop as he got his gear. As Bruce started strapping on his vest, he looked over at Gene talking with Danny and Buffy.

Angela and Stephanie helped Bruce tighten his vest even though he had done it a thousand times over the last year. “Baby, you need to let me and Stephanie clean your gear when you get back,” Angela informed him.

“I just went over it, and it’s clean,” Bruce protested.

Sniffing the vest, Stephanie wrinkled her nose. “Your vest stinks.”

“Says the woman who can smell the flowers in Brazil,” Bruce said.

Angela shook her head. “No the vest definitely has an aroma that can water the eyes. I’m surprised Stephanie is still standing.”

“Girls, I’m going to war, not a pageant,” Bruce reminded them.

“You don’t have to gross out everyone, and a vest that smells good wouldn’t hurt,” Angela said.

With visions of a vest smelling like spring flowers, Bruce gave a shiver. “Ah, I’ll clean it when I get back.”

“We’ll do it,” they said in unison. Giving up, Bruce walked over, grabbed his chute, put it on, and then hugged all the kids. Buffy walked up and hugged Bruce tight.

“Daddy, don’t be gone long,” she said.

Hugging her back, Bruce chuckled, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Letting Bruce go, Buffy spun around and walked over to Ted, who was putting on his gear, talking to his girlfriend. Stopping in front of Ted, Buffy pointed at him. “You take care of my daddy.”

Looking at Buffy, Ted smiled. “I promise.”

Buffy stepped forward and hugged Ted. “You take care of yourself too, you big dummy.”

Startled to say the least, Ted hugged her back. “Ah, I will, Buffy.”

Letting Ted go, Buffy stepped over to Carl, who had watched the scene spellbound. Carl’s girlfriend moved over beside him as Buffy stepped over, hugging Carl. “You be careful too, weirdo,” Buffy said, burying her face in Carl’s stomach.

Confused, Carl nodded and looked at his girlfriend, who just shrugged. “I will, and thank you, Buffy,” he finally said as she let him go.

“You and Ted are kinda cool,” Buffy stated. “I like having you on my team.”

As Buffy walked away, Carl looked at Ted, who was just staring at Buffy, waiting for the knife to come out. “What was that about?” Carl asked.

“Have no idea?” Ted replied as his girlfriend stepped over to help him finish getting ready. As she handed Ted his drop bag with his rifle, Ted looked back up and noticed a young boy following Buffy, trying to talk to her. “Who’s that boy talking to Buffy?”

“Marty I think,” Carl answered. “He was in Jake’s platoon on our last patrols.”

Suddenly feeling very protective, Ted stormed over to Bruce with Carl close behind. Ted tapped Bruce’s shoulder. “What do you know of this Marty kid?”

“What?” Bruce asked, confused.

Wanting answers, Carl pushed Bruce’s shoulder, spinning him around. “The boy talking to Buffy?” Carl clarified.

Looking across the shop, Bruce spotted Buffy beside Jake and Marty standing behind her, just staring at Buffy. “He’s not talking, guys. Marty is just staring at her,” Bruce stated.

Turning his head, Carl narrowed his eyes. “He’s a stalker,” he growled.

“Guys—” Bruce started, and Ted interrupted.

“Just what the hell do you know about him, Bruce?” Ted interrogated as Angela and Stephanie grinned.

“I rescued him from a school in Haughton on the way home. His dad is one of the pilots we rescued in Pine Bluff,” Bruce answered, seeing worry on both of their faces.

Carl got up in Bruce’s face. “Is he good enough for Buffy?”

Ted shoved Carl aside and stepped up in Bruce’s face. “What classes has he taken? What is he planning on doing?”

“Guys,” Bruce said, stepping back. “They aren’t getting married. Hell, I don’t know if Buffy even knows he’s alive.”

“Married?” they both said, stepping up to Bruce. It was the only word they had heard.

Carl put his finger on Bruce’s chest. “That boy hurts her feelings, and he disappears.”

“Damn straight,” Ted chimed in. “That lake is slap full of gators.”

Feeling somewhat deprived, Bruce said, “Buffy is my daughter; I’ll watch her.”

“She’s our teammate,” Carl shot back. “That boy better treat her with respect.”

Ted spun around. “I’m going to throw him up against the wall and tell him if he hurts her, his short life will be hell.”

Lunging forward, Bruce grabbed Ted’s chute, yanking him back. “Don’t you even think about embarrassing Buffy like that.”

Pulling against Bruce, Ted promised, “I’ll do it quiet.”

“Guys, do you really think Buffy is scared of a boy?” Bruce asked.

Carl stepped closer. “Boys are scum.”

“Carl, you are a boy,” Bruce pointed out and heard stifled laughing behind him from Angela and Stephanie.

“Yeah, and at that age, I was scum,” Carl said, getting an angry look. “I was only after one thing.”

Letting out a yelp, “I’m going to kill Marty,” he snapped and attempted to take off again.

Yanking Ted back, Bruce pushed both to the wall. “Guys, I’m glad you think so much of Buffy, but she has Danny watching over her along with her brothers. Jake likes Marty and is tutoring him.”

They looked at each other then at Bruce. “Does Danny know?” Carl asked.

Thinking about that, Bruce shrugged his shoulders, “Hell, I don’t know.”

“We’re going to tell her,” Ted informed Bruce.

“Oh, no you’re not,” Bruce corrected. “I will make a deal with you. If Marty seems to be getting out of hand, I’ll let you two take care of it.”

Liking the sound of that, they both nodded. Ted looked Bruce in the eyes. “Buffy went with me when I started dating Melanie. She stood beside me, her teammate. Because of her, I have Melanie. That boy disrespects her, and I’m taking steps.”

“She did the same here,” Carl agreed.

With his mouth hanging open Bruce wasn’t even sure how to respond. With Bruce’s mind blank and no thoughts on the horizon, Angela stepped over. “Guys, thank you,” she said. “But if you go over there like this, you can actually force Buffy to acknowledge Marty exists. Right now, Buffy doesn’t even talk to him because she doesn’t think he’s tough.”

Baring his teeth, Carl growled, “A wimp. How dare he even think he’s good enough for her?”

“How dare that little limp dick think he can even talk to Buffy?” Ted said and tried to step away from them only to have Bruce push him harder into the wall.

Seeing the commotion, Gene stepped over. “What’s going on?”

“Butt the fuck out, Gene,” Bruce snapped as Stephanie came over and grabbed Bruce’s arms, pushing them down, letting Carl and Ted go.

“Listen to Angela, guys,” Stephanie said, stepping between them and Bruce. “You could give Marty a bad boy persona if you interfere.”

Ted looked over at Carl. “We watch his ass close.”

“Like white on rice,” Carl responded.

Ted’s girlfriend Melanie came over, grabbing Ted’s arm. “Ted, don’t worry. I love Buffy just as much as you do, and if that boy does anything, I’ll help you.” Carl’s girlfriend Monica came over, trying not to laugh, pulling him away.

Bruce closed his eyes, wanting to just crawl in a hole and disappear. “My life is so fucked up I can’t even begin to think about how to work on it,” he groaned.